HENRI LÉVY-BRUHL’S DOCTRINE ON LAW AND ON THE FORMATION OF LEGAL SCIENCE OF A NEW TYPE

The article is devoted to the investigation of legal ideas of Henri Lévy-Bruhl, a French lawyer and sociologist of the XX century, who is considered to be one of the founders of contemporary sociology of law, legal ethnography and legal anthropology. The author of the article analyzes the late articles of Henri Lévy-Bruhl. The author of the article examines the notion “juristique”, introduced by the French professor, and investigates its methodological and substantial peculiarities. As a scientific discipline, “juristique” was supposed to be shaped through the integration of sociology of law, history of law and comparative law into a body. The author also pays special attention to H. Lévy-Bruhl’s theoretical views on the question of law and mechanisms of its formation, on subjects of law-making and sources of law. In particular, the author considers Lévy-Bruhl’s views of collective opinion as the only true source of law, customs’ priority over legislation among all forms of law, judicial practice as the modality of a custom. The key role of Durkheim’s sociology in the shaping of Henri Lévy-Bruhl’s legal views is also highlighted. Henri Lévy-Bruhl’s particular ideas are compared with the doctrine of historical school of law. The final part of the article is devoted to formulating a series of theses which reflect the peculiarities of Henri Lévy-Bruhl’s legal views and his role in contemporary legal doctrine.